The research group focuses on transcriptional regulation and gene networks in prostate cancer progression. We are in the process of identifying the genes that are regulated by key oncogenic transcription factors in prostate cancer and focus principally on the androgen receptor and c-Myc. We have shown that many of transcriptional changes occurring early in prostate cancer are associated with metabolic pathways. The progression to metastatic disease is marked by a transition to a hyperproliferative phase in which the androgen receptor alters its DNA binding profile and co-enriches with binding sites for c-Myc and inflammatory transcription factors on promoters. The localized/metabolic phase of the disease and the recurrent phase are also marked by activation of ER stress response and autophagy pathways. We work within the group and collaboratively to explore the function of some of the target genes and pathways affected by the androgen receptor and c-Myc. In this setting we focus mainly on the impact on the function of the endoplasmic reticulum as a stress modifier. Many of the genes that we identify are detectable in urine, blood and tissue samples. Our primary focus is on transcript detection and we work with a range of clinical groups to utilize sample collections for our measurements. We also collaborate with groups that perform immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays, proteomics on protein extracts from clinical samples and sequence clinical samples for somatic mutations. Within this setting we hope, through the network, to be able to collaborate on transcript detection in exosomes and to introduce the network to clinical collaborators who may be interested in utilizing exosomes as an enriched source of material for biomarker detection in prostate cancer.

Instrumentation (relevant for EV-research):

The laboratory is equipped with standard cell culture, biochemistry and molecular biology equipment. In addition there is a Bioruptor (Diagenode) sonicator, a laser scanning cytometer (Compucyte iCys) for fluorescent imaging and quantitation and a robotic system for chromatin immunoprecipitation. NCMM also houses a benchtop ultracentrifuge (Beckman TLR). NCMM is sitiuated within Forskningsparken on the Blindern site and within the building there is also access to confocal microscopy and proteomics.